Camera back



E. TALLMADGE 2,531,751

CAMERA BACK Nov. 28, 1950 7 63 be) INVENTOR.

2 Tazwa F\@. 3 BY Q 4 ATTORNEYS Nov. 28, 1950 E. TALLMADGE 2,531,751

CAMERA BACK FiledJan. 18, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Flcj. 4 "70' IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORN EYS Nov. 28, 1950 E. TALLMADGE CAMERA BACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 18, 1947 V IN VEN TOR. 2017M Wadi);

ATTQRN EY5 Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAMERA BACK Edgar Tallmadge. Waukesha, Wis.; Edith M. Tallmadg'e sole heir of Edgar Tallniadge, deceased Application January 18, 1947, Serial No. 722,907

9 Claims. 1

The invention relates to camera backs, more particularly for studio cameras.

The general object of the invention is to provide a camera back that saves the operators time and movements in preparing for and taking a picture. More particularly, according to the invention, the carriage carrying the film or plate holder and focusing screen is provided with a single handle by which it is moved and by which the carriage locking means and a dark slide is controlled, the movement of the carriage by this handle acting to open the shutter when the ground glass focusing screen is in position for viewing the image.

Heretofore it has been usual to provide masks that may be placed in or removed from the viewing opening to change the size of the picture. This insertion or withdrawal of masks to suit the camera back for different sized pictures is an inconvenience. It has also been proposed. to use a pair of separately adjustable dark slides which have to be separately positioned independent of other adjustments or movements of the camera back. One of the objects of the present inventionis to provide an arrangement whereby a blocking-off darkslide is operable as an incident to the setting of other parts of the mechanism for taking pictures of different sizes and permitting the change of one picturesize to another without any special thought on thepart of the operator as to the positioning ofthese slides. Y. 3

g A further object of the invention is to provide a camera back inwhich the protective slide for the film holder is automatically withdrawn from in front of the film or other sensitized material as the carriage moves to a picture taking position whether the picture to be taken is of full film area or part film area.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation view of a camera back embodying the invention, parts being broken away, the parts being in position for focusing;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a portion thereof with the focusing opening covered;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in position for making a full plate exposure, the film or plate back being removed; r Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in position for making the first half plate exposure; I Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a portion thereof with the parts in position for making the second half plate exposure;

' Fig. '6, is a front elevation view of the camera back;

Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line l'! of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line I0IB of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detailed top plan view, parts being broken away;

' Fig. 12 is a detailed top view of one end of the camera back;

Fig. 13 is a detailed horizontal sectional view taken on the line I3l3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is a detailed horizontal sectional view taken on the line I4-|4 of Fig. 1 showing one of the stops in operative position;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 showing the stop in inoperative position;

My improved camera back includes a fixed main frame 18, a carriage I9 lengthwise slidably mounted in guides at the upper and lower portions of the back of said frame, and a shutter mounted on the front of said frame and controlling passage of light through the viewing opening 2! in said frame.

v The carriage [9 forms an apertured frame for a ground glass or focusing screen 22 and a plate or film holder 23 which is removably secured on said carriage in back of the opening 24 which opening is divided from the opening 25 in which the screen 22 is mounted by a partition 25 (see Fig. '7).

The film holder 23 is provided with the usual protective dark slide 21 controlling the exposure of the sensitized film or plate, and the carriage itself has a dark slide 28 slidably mounted in guideways in the carriage and movable from the opening 24 to a position over the opening 25 in front of the screen 22. Another slide 29 acting as a guide for the support for the slide 21 is moved under certain settings by the carriage I9 by its engagement with a projection 29' thereon and extends through guideways in the left side of the carriage. Another movable dark slide 30 used in blocking off a part of the viewing opening 2| is slidablymounted on the front of the frame I8.

The shutter 20 includes top and bottom portions 3| fixed to the frame I8 and cooperating with a pair of pivotally mounted movable overlapping shutter flaps or doors 32 to exclude light from the viewing opening 2| until said doors are opened. The doors 32 are simultaneously moved to open position by providing their hinge pivot shafts-33, as-shown in Fig. 11, with crank arms 3.4 operatively connected together by a link 35, whereby movement of either of the shafts 33 or the link 35 will open or close the shutter. One of the shafts 33 has another crank arm 35 (see Fig. 8) connected to a Shutter closing spring 31 posure. For opening the shutter for focusing the link 35 carries a pin 4| adapted to b engaged by a crank arm 42 mounted on a shaft were;

tically pivoted in the frame. 18. and carrying an arm 44 adapted to be engaged by a proiection fi 1.0.1

on the carriage [9 as said carriageis moved toward the left to focusing;-zzpositiongrsn that.:.

said link 43 will be moved against the. action of a spring 3'! to open the doors 32. When the carriage I9 is moved toward the right after focusin}; tea picture taking position,- the-shutters 32 are closed by the spring 3-l-'unti-l=operation f the-bulb by the photographer opens the shutters tor thedesiredexposure period of the sensitized pl-iotogr-aphicsurface; such as-a plate or film.

For holding the doors of the shutter-inan open position a pivoted latch Mmay be turned to -the dotted line positionshown in Fig.- 11 to engage thearm '44;

With the above arrangement when the carriage l9 is in the position shown in-Fig; l, the screened opening 25 is alined with the viewing open ingl l and the a shutter 1's opened, the slide 28 being then in an open position, and'theoperator then views the object through the lens-(not shown) betweem the object *and the opening 2l= and focuses the lens. Thereafter, he grasps a handle 46 0f a latch mechanism, hereinafter described, which is operativelyconnected to the s-lide'28, so that-reciprocationo-f the handle 46 will cause a similar movement of the sliderelative to the carriage 19 until the parts connecting the handle with -'sa-id-fsl ide abut theright hand sideof the carriage, as shown in Fig. 2, at whichtime the slide 28- covers the viewing opening, so that the carriage may be moved toward the right by thecontinued pushin'gvmovement on the handle toward the right: whereby-the carriage moves in this same directionuntil the film holder portion ofthe carriage moves to a =position.facing the viewing 1 opening- 21; asshown in Fig 3, in: which the filr n itself has been removed from the-holder: During this same movement the dark slide?! forthe :film holder 23 hasbeen moved-relative to the film 'to a position permitting the exposure of the filmwhen the'shutter 'ZD is operated. This move-' ment of the slide '2 T" is brought about byreleasably anchoring the exterior edge 41 or the slide through: pins: 48 to brackets on hangers 4 9 -which" are secured in spaced relation on-a vertically'dis posed slide member 50'towhich. the slide 29 isalso secured.

With the parts positioned as abovedescribed and shown in Fig. 3, the photographer presses: the bulb to open the shutter zll 'forthe exposure, and then grasping the handle and-pushing toward the left," the carriage maybe returned 'to the initial position, :shOwn in Fig. l, therebymoving thedark slide 21 into-protective relation withthe film of the holder and bringing the carriage to its extreme left position-and thereafter moving the dark slide 28' into the section of the carriage containing :the 'fil'mholder and exposing the;

screened opening- 25 for another focusingythe shutter. having been opened as previously" de'-'-' scribed as the carriage-movesto this focus'ing position.

Whereonly half 0t the film or platejis "to'bej used at a time, the dark -slid'e*3 ll" is -moved as;

hereinaiter: described toy i'tsconnect-ion wan-a slide rod H to the position blocking ofi a part of the viewing opening 2|, as shown in Fig. 5. For taking half size pictures the carriage is first moved toward the-right. from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 4 where its movement is arrested by stop mechanism hereinafter described, thereby blocking off a portion ofiathe viewing opening 2| by the dark slide 21 andanother portion by the slide to block off theleft'hand half of" the film or plate, and then the part, the right hand half of the plate or film, nothlocked exposed, as previously described, and the carriage returned to its initial position. After'another focusing and a movement of the dark slide 28 to the right to a position where the handle-116 engages thecarriage, the carriageis again moved over, this time to the-extremeright; as Shown in- Fig.-= 5, at which time the=darkslide 30* together with the-frame l8 have blocked off theright hand half otthe viewing opening 2| and the darloslide' 2? because of the movement of the carriage relative to theslide member is in a position exposing the-left hand portion of"the or plate'to the light through the'half open -their=formed,- as shown in Fig. 5, and after this exposure, "the-eairiage is returned focusing positiomas shown in Fig. 1. 1

Inorderthat the operator may readily position the carriage l9 for taking a full s-izedor half back to its sized picture, releaseable l'atch andstop mechanism is provided; 7 Referring to'Figsp8, 9 and 10-, the-slide flfhas an extension-5f to-which a stud or pin-52 is rigidly secured; which stud-has-a; plate 53 rigidly connected thereto and cooperating with I the -part 5l-to guide the slide in the guideway 54 formed-in'the carriage framer The-stud==52 also has-=the-handle 46 pivotally connected th'retoby a pin-"55; the handle being-hollowed out'and slotted at==56to receive one end-of a flatspring spring acting to normally-hold the handle 1 6i-n a position alined with the s-tud SZ and tending to bring it "back to this position when the" handle 56 is depressed or swung downwardly Tliehan: dle -carries a. latch engaging-member 58*whichon the-depression ofsaid handle engages a side portion 59 of an arm 60 of. a lever 6| pivotally mounted" on a pin 62; secured 't0"th carriage. The other arm' of "said lever is pressediout. and riveted to a tongued m'ember63 WhiChiOITIlSa deteirtor. latch that is adaptedto'engage in" either the fixed, notch .64, 65, M1651? For constantly urgingthe lever 6| to a locking position, so, that.

it will automatically drop into said notches .on -themovement of'the carriage. by the handle; 46

a. fiat spring 66 is anchored at oneendl fil tothe carriage and at its other end, is connected to. the detent portion of the. levertlfl; Access, of thefdetent'tothenotch '65 is controlled iby a pivoted blockifngmember. 68 having a flange. 68. iorming a camming surface engaged; by the flan ed-end 69 of a member 10 provided. with. an operating handle "extensiorr'10": The member 10 attire front of the camera backis integrally connected to-a 'sli'derod' TI "(see Figs... 6, 1Q,,.and 13);. .At its righthand end '12 this 'sliderod isiguided in; a channel guide. 12 and. has a .camming .connection with a. lever 13. pivotally mounted on. the. frame'IB' at 14 and havinga stop portion 15 forming in the position shown in. Figs,;.1 and: 3 a stop to'limit the movement. of. thecarriagelll .toward"'the"l'eft"in the. takin of, a, fulll=size half pictures and particularly the second half of the film, the carriage may be moved to the extreme right of the frame I8 in the position shown in Fig. 5. Also the rod II is used to automatically control the throwing in or out of a stop for the slide member 59 and the movement of the dark slide 38 which as shown in Fig. 6 is riveted to said rod.

Referring to Figs. 6, 12 and 13, a vertically disposed shaft I6 is suitably pivoted in bracket arms 11 on the frame I8 and carries stop arms 18 at its opposite ends. A coiled torsion spring I9 operatively connected to the frame and to the shaft normally urges these stop arms into the stopping position shown in Fig. 12 and Figs. 1 and 3 where they are engageable with the brackets or hangers 49 of the slide member 50 to limit the movement of this slide, and hence the dark slide 21 and slide 29 associated therewith when the full size plate or film exposure is desired. For the half exposures the rod II has a wedge shape-d end 80 which on the movement of the slide 68 toward the left engages a crank arm 8| secured to the shaft I6 and thereby turns the shaft I6 against the action of the spring I9 to move the stop arms I8 out of the path of the hangers 49, so that said hangers may move into engagement with the fixed stops 82.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 7, it will be noted that the projection 29 on the slide 29 is engaging the carriage I9, and this connection assists in moving the slide 58 with the carriage from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4 though the friction of the slides 21 and 29 also acts to cause the slide 58 to move with the,

carriage I9.

The indexing plate provided with the notch 65 also has a notch 65', access to which is controlled by the pivoted blocking member 68 previously referred to. The notch 65 alines with the notch 83 in an indexing plate 84, and the notch 65 alines with a notch 85 in said plate 84. When the plate member I0 with its handle I0 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, the blocking member 68 blocks off the notches 85 and 65' because it is then swung up so as to prevent the engagement of the detent 63 in said notches, and when the carriage is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the detent can then engage the notches 65 and 63, it is in a position for taking a full sized film picture. When the plate member I0 is moved to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the slide 38 is moved therewith and the blocking member 68 is swung so as to block off the notches 83 and 65 and provide access of the detent 63 to the alined notches 85 and 65 so as to position the carriage for the taking of the right hand half of the negative, and when the carriage is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the detent 63 will then engage with alined notches 86 in the plate 84 and the plate provided with the notches 65 and 65 for taking the left hand half of the negative. When the carriage is in the focusing position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the detent 63 will engage the notch 64 and an alined notch 81 in the plate 84.

In order that the dark slide 28 may be locked in protective position and move with the carriage I9 in this position on the movement thereof toward the left from the positions shown in Figs.

3, 4, and 5, a gravity actuated latch 88 is pivotally mounted on the carriage at 88 and is swung upwardly under the action of its weighted end 'to engage the stud 52, as shown in Fig. 9, it being noted that said swinging movement is limited by a stop pin 90, and that weighted end 8| of said latch has a cam surface 92 adapted to engage a cooperative fixed cam member 93 on the frame I8 so as to lift said latch 88 from looking engagement with the stud 52 as said carriage is moved toward the left into the focusing position, so that said dark slide 28 may then be moved toward the left relative to the carriage I9 by the movement of the handle 46 from the position shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 to the position shown in Fig. 1 to expose the viewing opening 2|.

With the above arrangement it will be noted that the movements of the carriage I9, the shutter 28, and the slides 27, 28, and 29 and the release of the carriage in its different indexed positions relative to the frame I8 are all controlled by the operators movement of the handle 46 which as previously noted moves lengthwise of the carriage to operate the slide 28, moves with the carriage to shift the same lengthwise of the frame I8 to open the shutter 20 and to move the slides 2'! and 29 relative to the film or plate holder and is movable in a plane at an angle to the carriage to release the latch 6| from any one of its stop or indexing positions.

It will be noted that the control means I0, I0, and II is only moved to set the apparatus for the taking of either full size or half size pictures, that in its position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it has moved the blocking member 68 to block off the notch 65' so that the detent 63 will engage in the notch 65 for the taking of a full size picture, and that in its position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 for the taking of half pictures it has moved the blocking member 68 to block off the notch 65 and moved the dark slide 30 to its blocking position and has also released the stop arms I8 so that the slide member 50 may move with the carriage into the position in which it may engage the stops 82.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a camera back, the combination of a support provided with a viewing opening, a normally closed shutter mounted in front of said viewing opening and controlling passage of light through said opening, pneumatic means for opening the shutter, a lever, means operated by said lever for opening the shutter, a carriage having a focusing screen and a sensitized film holder mounted thereon in spaced relation, a dark slide slidably mounted on the carriage for covering said viewing opening and provided with a handlefor moving the same relative to said carriage to an open position and to a closed position, said handle in the closed position of said slide adapted to move said carriage lengthwise of said support to move the carriage from a focusing position to a picture taking position in one direction and return the carriage to a focusing position in the opposite direction, and means on the carriage engageable with said lever to open the shutter when the carriage reaches a focusing position, .said means being releasable from said shutter operating means when the carriage is in picture taking position.

2. In a camera back, the combination of a support provided with a viewing opening, dark slides shiftable to block'oif portions of said viewing opening, a carriage slidably mounted on said support carrying a focusing screen and a photographic material holder, one of said dark slides being a cover slide for'said film holder and bei g 

